Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-20

SdIe 10 say JndL Juefe are not ten lnOuS-
and who have any personal knowledge
of even the leading traits of their highest
officials. We claim to be free people,;
and yet, of all people on earth, we are
the most abiect slaves to our leaders.
We not only follow them, but we adopt
their ideas and their prejUdices. Hence
the Importance of fair and truthful
teaching.
PROPOSED in this letter to give to theread-
ers of the HERALDas nearly as possible,
a correct description of their President.
Physically, he was described by a New
York paper (the Sun, | believe), as q
gentleman who weighs two hundred
and fifty pounds, and wears a twenty
five collar. He is fair, fat and fifty
He has fine eye, and impresses you
with the conviction that he is thoroughly
honest. Unlike most fat men he is not
lazy.
In view of what have said, the state
ment am about to make will astonish
the reader who has not made human
nature a study. Mr.. Cleveland is The
NEST dangerous man that has eUcr been
eleUdted 10 the Presidency! reach this
conclusion for the following reasons:
First He is thoroughly self-opionion-
ated. There is not man in or out of
his party, in whose opinion he has rs
much confidence as in his own.
Second He is stupidity stubborn.
Firmness is an admirable trait, but Mr..
Cleveland mistakes logged tenacity or
stubbornness for firmness. Jackson
was firm, but he could listen to advice.
Lincoln was firm in his convictions of
right; and popular clamor had no more
effect upon him than the angry waves
upon the rocks of Gibraltar. But while
possessing the fortitur IN re no man
ever exhibited more of the SuavitG IN
Dlod0. He carried out the great prin-
ciples of reform through advice and as
sistance of his chosen friends. Not so
with Mr.. Cleveland. He affects to be-
leve that the safest road lies in avoid
ance of his party leaders. He believes
that heis better than his party. His persis
tence in forcing a colored man on the
people of this District as one of their
highest officers, over the unanimous
protest of his political friends was u
piece of political insolenee unparalleled
in the history of the government. For
every Mugwump placated by this pre-
tended devotion to the colored race, he
will lose thousand white votes. If he
wanted to do justice to the colored race,
why did he not appoint negro to some
important place in South Carolina or
Mississippi, where they represent y
majority of the citizens, instead of i'm
porting one from Massachusetts, where
negro u0teS count, and appointing him
TO place in Washington where nobody
votes?
Third. Mr.. Cleveland is very vain
man. He believes he is a child of des
tiny.
These three elements, self-contidence,
self-esteem. aud a distrust of others,
constitute, in all ages and in all coun-
tries. and among all men the character
which the world calls tyrant.
Unite them in ono man, and then add
the occasion, aud you have deSpotism!
Very many people feared that Grant,
after having arisen to the Presidency by
virtue of his qualities as great soldier,
would never resign the Office, That he
would declare himself dictator of some-
thing of that sort. No man, however,
who entered into his presence and be.
came impressed with his unaffected
modesty, ever went away oppressed
with this fear. | havs said that Mr..
Cleveland is honest. Butwhat of thatP
Most vain men are honest. Honesty is
not at all incompatible with tyranny.
Cesar honestly believed tina he was
better qualified to govern Rome than
was the Senate, Cromwell honestly be-
lieyed that he was an instrument in the
hands of Providence 10 reform the
government; and acting under the in.
spiration OF this belief, he marched his
armed troops into the halls ofparliam mt,
and dispersed the body. Napoleon was
an honest reformer; be believed that
the world would be better for having
one ruler instead Of many: the one ruler
being, OF course, him self But why
multiply examples? What mean to
saw is, that the man who thinks he is
better than his party, and that he
knows more than lis trusted leaders is
adaugerous man; and the fact that he
is honest in this belief does not render
him less so.
Fourth. But there is another element
in Mr.. Cleyeland's character that re-
mains to be noted. He is wanting in
every element Of refinement. When |
speak of refinement do not use the term
in the sense Of elegance of manner.
There are men of the greatest refine
ment of character. who are plain and
simple even to awkwardness in their
department / mean to say that he is
coarse and vulgar; that he is fond of
show and parade; that his sudden eleva-
ton from obscurity to fame made him
an aristocrat, and gave TO the world
homely maxim ''put beggar on horse
back, and he will ride to the devil!'
To illustrate. When Mr.. Cleveland
was about to marry it was given out
that the recent death of a relative Of the
bride was to be regarded as a reason for
quiet and private ceremony. II this
course had been observed; if he had
gone to the residence of his aflianced,
and thence on quiet bridal tour, the
world would have approved his taste.
But instead thereof, he initiated in the
most offensive manner the customs Of
royalty. The bride-elect was brought
in state to the Castle. With the police
guarding the approaches to the White
House, in the presence of select few.
surrounded by more than oriental SPLEEN
dor, the ceremony was performed!
Precious pieces of wedding cake, en-
closed in satin-lned rosewood boxes,
that We're reported to have cost fifty
dollars each, were distributed as me-
mentoes Of the royal occasion. What
then? This representative of reform. of
the palmer "and better days of the Re-
public HES him away to West Virginia
and spends his honeymoon at one of its
most aristocratic country places. sur
rounded by guard of State troops
under orders to let no man approach
within half mile Of his royal highnessl
Take his recent trip. No crowned head
in Europe ever travelled in such splen-
dor. n baggage car, a commfssary car,
a palace draUtng. room car, smoker, a